The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-07-31

Vanity Fdr IL in the dumps, and Toryism ia
certainly in bad shape.
Paris and France continue to ring with the
Boulanger excitement which, as cabled you
two weeks ago, shows not tho least sinn Of
diving out This 10 the most recent Develop
mont; Boulsnger has challenged Jules Ferry
TO fight q duel and Ferry has referred Bou.
lanGer's seconds to two friends. Incredible as
1t may seem to any but Frenchmen It In very
probable that those two mon. each great In his
way and leaders Of two great parties, may &C.
tually 20 out and solemnly poke sharp swords
ct each others bowels as q means OF settling
their political differences. 1t will be an excit-
ing affair II It comes Of and It 10 Just possible,
though extremely improbable. that one Of the
men may be fatally injured which would cause
an important change to como over tho face
Of French politics. There IL no doubt
that Boulanger has GOOD cause for grievance.
for Ferry virtually denounced him as q man
who was willing to betray his country, but who
was doing IL In cafe concert or buffoon style.
The duel, TIT comes of. will be between OPP
portunism or moderate republeanism and tho
Radical and anti-German party. Already It
assumes the importance Of great event, and
It 10 difficult to say into what state Of excite
ment the French will not work themselves be-
fore the thing is over. Boulanger's seconds are
old military friends and comrades at the
school Of st. Cyr-Gen. Faverot do Kelbreck
and Comte Dillon de Dion, the latter the
/ father OF the promising young nobiornan who.
in the Maison Doree, broke bottle Of cham
payne over the head Of the Austrian. Aurelien
| Scholl. to gain the smiles Of the Duohesse do
Chaulnes, recently deceased. and concerning
whom Scholl was alleged to have spoken
sliRhtingly.
\
an expert with the sword. OF Ferrys ability 90
fighter am ignorant know he is q good
billiard player, for saw him play with Gam
BETA at Cherbourg some years ago when q big
naval fete was on. and he handled his cue In o
way that indicated natural talent for poklng at
things. He has had, OF course, some training
in duelling, like all French politicians and
journalists. and there is sure to be some blood
spilled. though. perhaps. not very much.
Another duel which 10 In the air. but which
hangs FIRE. Is that which Deputy Laur, the
supposed author Of the exciting letters CON-
corning Boulanger. Is aching to have with Paul
de Cassagnac. Cassagnac provoked q challenge
by calling Laur Q liar. and now declines to
fight on the ground that Laur is liar. which
seems rather unfair. Laur accuses Cssssgnao
OF cowardice, and Of having hidden away In
cellar at the battle Of Sedan. Casssgnac can
afford to remain Indifferent to such ACCUSE
lions, for he IL professional duellist, 10 fond
OF fighting. and Is almost invariably victorious.
His war record Is good. for he enlisted a.
private, was wounded. and gained promo
ton. II the fight does come on 1t will
probably be sorry day for Laur. as
Cassagnac will certainly do his best to kill him.
There is more talk about the youthful and
dandilsd Prince Ferdinand Of Coburg. He
hos ordered two Bulgarian uniforms, and his
4 d>a. a. y
among them at any moment and climb
upon the throne. Tho Prince Is not
q very adventurous young man: though
he ia romantic. and is pushed on by his ambi-
tious mother. and still incline to believe that
he will keep away from Bulgaria until Russia
shows signs OF rclenting II he has made up
his mind to 60 to Sofia 1t Is . pretty certain
indication that the Gear does not very much
object. The Bulgarian uniforms do not mean
much, for. as have told you, Prince Ferdinand
fs very rich. and can readily afford to crdsf
uniforms Just TO see how he win look In them.
II the Prince should conclude to DO adventur-
Qua and try his luck In spite OF tho Gear. he
will not be long In discovering that, though he
has Q passion for ornithology. the Russian
eagle is the wrong bird for him to tribe with.
While Prince Ferdinand Is shlly- sha!lyinG an.
other candidate for the Bulgarian throne has
come up. According to st. Petersburg
telegram in the Paris Gaulois the osndi-
date is none other than Prince Georges Eriston
de Gourie. tho descendant Of George KILL,
last King Of Georgia. and whom MR: Frank
Leslie OF New York recently refused to marry.
Russia says the Gaulois. would accept Eristoh
as candidate If approved Of by the Bulgarians.
as he Is the first cousin to the Prince OF Min
grelia. the candidate favored by Russia. but
rejected by the Sobranje Prince Eriston de-
hon NJ Lea
Bulgaria. and his friends are in q
great state Of excitement. Mrs. Leslie
is, of course. most interested. and I
have written her asking whether
the suddenly frightened prospects Of
her princely admirer would have any inau-
ence upon her. and whether the prospect OF
becoming princess Of Bulgaria, the wife Of
the reigning sovereign. and Royal Htghness
would induce her to reconsider her refusal to
become Princess Eriston de Gourie. From
conversations which / have had with Mrs.
Leslie can venture to assert that che would
not change her mind about keeping clear OF
titled gentlemen. even with the prospect be-
fore her eyes Of correcting her proof sheets on
the throne. and Of the big boom which must
accrue to her popular monthly and her Illus
trated weekly by having sovereign for editor.
Mrs Leslie has told me she would never aban-
don actual newspaper work. no matter II she
were princess How eflete monarchs would
DO stirred up by tho advent among them OF
busting business woman like Mrs. Lesliel
The prospect opened Is interesting. i know
that the Princes new prospects have not
made him proud. for have seen letter sd-
dressed to friend. and written in pure French.
which he thoroughly understands. The Prince
observes:
"J'ai toujours entendu que cette femme await
des charmes irresistiblos" meaning that Mrs.
Leslie had the "charmes irresistibles." and he
tells what deep hold hor charms have upon
him He begs his friend TO tell him all about
Mra. Lcslio's doings. regrets that her wealth
might cause suspicious to arise Of unworthy
motives on his part. and declares he will never
get over 1t. The friend showed the letter to
Mrs. Leslie. although the Prince, OF course. did
not intend 1t SO. but while she was touched at
tho Princes devotion. Mrs. Leslie was not
moved from her purpose. The religious ad-
,,;sar ~ In prip,n In Landau whom r w tn